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Lyons Cottage, built in 1925 on the corner of Knuckey Street and the Esplanade, is famous for being the first residence in Darwin built of stone. It originally housed executives from the British Australian Telegraph Company; today it’s a café and gallery run by Aboriginal Bush Traders, a nonprofit community initiative. Visitors can shop for artworks, jewelry, clothing and woven fabrics made by Aboriginal artists and artisans. The garden is a pleasant spot for coffee, tea or lunch under a frangipani tree. The café serves dishes made with indigenous produce, such as bush tomatoes and Kakadu plums. And the building’s history is preserved in a hologram exhibit that tells stories of the Overland Telegraph line, which first linked Australia to the rest of the world in 1872.

You can’t miss the Parthenon, the majestic ruin towering above Athens. Originally painted in vivid hues, this feat of architecture, engineering, and artistry is still as awe-inspiring as it was almost 2,500 years ago. Le Corbusier, pioneer of modernism, called it the most “ruthlessly flawless” monument in the world. Hold on to your admission ticket: It’s valid for several other archaeological sites on the slopes surrounding the Acropolis, including the Agora and theater of Dionysus.

The west coast of Jamaica doesn’t sleep. If it isn’t some daytime live tunes on the beach, or a street party in the wee hours, it’s the evening live Reggae available in multiple seafront venues. At night, the island takes on a different energy and everyone comes out to enjoy the fresh air and the tunes. Almost every other Jamaican seems to have a natural talent for music. It’s no wonder, then, that there are plenty of local acts to go around, often performing covers of Bob Marley, from MoBay to Negril. Recording artists also show up regularly--from Beenie Man to Beres Hammond. Along the highways and neighborhoods streets are the latest posters, flyers or billboards announcing upcoming live Reggae shows. When in doubt, head to Pier One in Montego Bay, or Alfred’s, Bourbon Beach and Jungle Nightclub in Negril. Better yet, ask the locals, who love their music. The sound of Reggae is never too far off.

Get swept up to the top of a peak, meditate in a monastery garden, and ride a ferry through a light show all in the space of a single day in Hong Kong. This busy city offers visitors sometimes startling contrasts: a hike along a rugged hilltop trail can transport you to a view of the shimmering, modern skyline that will knock whatever’s left of your breath away. Wander densely populated streets and then find yourself on a quiet length of shoreline. Welcome to the most cosmopolitan and thrilling city you may ever visit.

About 30 minutes from Oranjestad at the southern tip of Aruba is San Nicolas, the island’s second-largest city. In 2016, it became home to Aruba’s only mural district following the now-annual Aruba Art Fair. As part of the fair, exhibiting artists created large, brightly colored paintings on more than two dozen of the city’s buildings, gracing structures with everything from multi-colored lionfish and staring flamingos to native Arubans and surreal optical illusions. Today, visitors to San Nicolas can take an organized tour to see the murals, or just wander the streets to discover them on their own.

No photograph can capture this extraordinary art space created by mural artist Isaiah Zagar down at the quiet end of South Street in Philadelphia’s Center City—you have to see it to believe it. It’s also not easy to describe: an alternate universe? A magical mosaic environment? A creative outsider’s brilliant vision? A terrarium of otherworldly folk-art delights? Decide for yourself when you take a self-guided tour of this one-of-a-kind, ever-expanding project. The site includes an immersive outdoor-art installation crafted from found objects and handpainted tiles, as well as indoor galleries. The opening hours vary due to occasional public and private events; make sure to check the online calendar.

Industry Screen Studios a full fledged screen print studio that is keeping the screen process alive. From concert posters and fine art prints to custom t-shirts and apparel, Industry works with very talented Artists and Illustrators to create fun, creative, eye catching pieces. They also offer hands on workshops and print demonstrations, so check out their awesome store front/studio in East Austin.

A colorful working-class neighborhood near downtown that had fallen on hard times, Woodstock has been revitalized with a mix of galleries, artists’ studios, boutiques, and restaurants. Much of the area’s original vibe remains, however, thanks to the long rows of colonnaded shops that edge Albert and Victoria roads. Among the nearby storefronts that are open throughout the week are Espresso Lab Microroasters and Luke Dale-Roberts’s award-winning restaurant, the Test Kitchen. Continuing down Albert Road, you’ll find spots like the Woodstock Co-op and the very trendy Woodstock Exchange, with a great array of places to eat and stores selling local goods. At the end of Albert Road, there’s a concentration of galleries, including the Stevenson, Goodman, and SMAC. On Saturdays, Woodstock draws crowds to the Neighbourgoods Market, a prepared foods extravaganza in the Old Biscuit Mill.

Among the increasingly trendy streets of the Upper Marais, this intimate hotel offers a refreshingly low-key place to unpack. Named for the classic Francois Truffaut film, and set in a former precious metal factory, Jules & Jim has a low-fi artistic bent. The ground-floor lobby and bar—both set off a central, glass-roofed courtyard and garden—feature a rotating collection of works by local painters, photographers, and graphic artists, as well as residential-style seating and bookshelves lined with bric-a-brac. Spread over three structures, the 23 rooms range in size; the “Jules” options in the main building are the smallest and best for solo travelers, while the “Hi-Macs,” “Sous Les Toits,” and “Duplex” accommodations work better for two guests or longer stays. Some categories include perks like terraces, sofa-beds, Nespresso machines, and views of Montmarte, but all come with Bluetooth sound systems, free Wi-Fi, rainfall showers, and access to 24-hour room service (note that there are no mini-bars or fridges).

The Museum of Glass is in Tacoma, about a half-hour away from Seattle, and it’s well worth the trip for art glass enthusiasts. The permanent collection includes some Chihuly pieces, work by 20th and 21st-century artists, and a charming collection of sculptural pieces interpreting children’s drawings. The temporary exhibits often feature a Northwest theme, and a theater features a rotation of short films about glass art. The real highlight of the museum, though, is the Hot Shop, where resident glassmakers and their assistants blow glass all day long for the entertainment of visitors. Often, their work is being filmed, and a narrator is on hand to explain what you’re seeing. You can walk all around the Hot Shop via overhead walkways, and photography is allowed throughout the museum, so it’s a great opportunity for photographers as well. The museum isn’t huge and takes only a couple of hours to go through, so it’s an ideal destination for a rainy afternoon. But don’t miss the striking outdoor art, like the Chihuly Bridge of Glass, outside the museum (free).

Shaped by artists’ enclaves, surf culture, LGBTQ heritage, and Hollywood glitterati, Laguna Beach and Dana Point have a laid-back but sophisticated vibe. The hotels here capture the atmosphere perfectly, offering amenities like vintage vinyl and loaner boogie boards alongside Mediterranean, Mission Revival, and mid-century-modern style. Whether you come for the picture-perfect beaches, rooftop cocktails, canyon hikes, or ocean kayaking, you can find a chill but chic stay to suit your needs.

Go Bar occupies an old colonial house on a leafy Mendoza street (formerly Winery & Company). Its old, worn wooden floors speckled with sunlight have just the right vintage feel for wine browsing. It’s several rooms are stacked with wrought iron shelves featuring the region’s numerous wine labels. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable and will give you the perfect packaging to carry wines in your suitcase back home. Chile 898 (corner of Montevideo)

Little needs to be said about Paris‘s peerless art scene and the iconic museums that greet throngs of visitors each day but we hear very little about spaces like the non profit Fondation Cartier for Contemporary Art nestled in the 1'4th arrondissement, a hike from the city’s artistic epicenter. My enthusiasms run more toward the impressionist era so the offbeat styles housed within the Centre Pompidou and countless galleries across the city are often lost on me. Gearing up for my first visit to the Fondation Cartier several years ago, I expected much of the same. Instead I found myself surrounded by fascinating and evocative works spanning multiple disciplines, from photography to performance art. An exhibit on street art and graffiti hooked me in and I’ve been a fan ever since. Creative workshops and family visits are also offered (kid friendly!)

A family-owned ceramics studio, Cerámica Suro opened in the 1950s to manufacture wares for luxury hotels. When José Noé Suro, the son of the original owner, took over the factory, he invited some of his artist friends to collaborate on projects and began producing dinnerware for some of Mexico’s top restaurants. Today, visits to the factory are by appointment only; contact Journey Mexico to schedule a tour.

The studio recently moved to the art gallery, House of Gaga (October 2023 update).

Every April, thousands of visitors descend upon Augusta, Georgia for The Masters golf tournament. While the azaleas and dogwoods that line the fairways are beautiful, the streetscape outside the Augusta National Golf Club is a car-dominated aesthetically unfortunate collection of chain restaurants and strip-mall-churches--not exactly what you’d expect if you were to believe the city’s official nickname of “The Garden City.” Drive just ten minutes away, however, and you’ll end up in the Augusta Downtown Historic District, set aside by the National Park Service due to its collection of architecture from the 1780’s to the present. (Sherman didn’t march through this part of the state, sparing it the Civil War damage that destroyed Atlanta.) Georgia’s second-largest and second-oldest city might not be a ‘destination’ in the way that Savannah and Atlanta are (unless you love golf), but if you’re in town and architecture interests you, it’s worth spending some time down by the Savannah River. One of the tallest structures is the Lamar building--built in the 1910’s. In the mid-1970’s it was topped by a glass penthouse, designed by...I. M. Pei--the same architect who is perhaps best known for the now-iconic glass pyramid that dominates the courtyard of the Louvre in Paris. Augusta’s piece of Parisian-linked-architecture-fame is locally known as “the toaster.” Just slightly irreverent...